Clarinet



A. Lo'oMls' Dec. 22, 1931.

CLARINET Filed March 3 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet Dec. 22, 1931.

- A. LOOMIS CLARINET Filed March 31, 1930 Z'SheetS-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE,

ALLEN LOOMIS, or- EL HART, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 0. e. coma, mu, or ELKHART, 1i

5 INDIANA, A CORPORATION or INDIANA CLARINET Application filed March 31, 1930. Serial No. 440,227.

This invention is-directed to keyvmechanism for musical instruments of the woodwind type, and is particularly concerned with the right side keys of a Boehm clarinet.

In the type of instrument referred to, the

' right side keys are definitely standardized as ill Iii)

to position and as to the-slope of the plane in which they operate, such keys, four in numbeijbeing located side by sidewith oil-set touch pieces and to be manually controlled by the right forefinger of the musician. In Bcehm clarinets of special small size or comact proportions, no means have heretofore been provided by which the standard position orlay of these particular right side keys can be maintained, and the present invention is more particularly concerned with the relative dispositions of these keys in a manner to maintain this standardized position or lay in clarinets of the particular type referred to.

A further object of the invention is the provision'of means whereby two keys of this group mounted for independent pivotal sup-' port upon the body of the clarinet may, following their operation by the musician, be

returned to their normal positions through the use of a single spring.

The invention 1s illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a general view of a clarinet our bodynig my invent-ion, viewed at right angles to the plane of motion of these keys, the keys being shown in their normal positions to whi oh the springs return them when the touch pieces are not being pressed.

Figure 2 is an enlarged View of a portion of Figure 1, showing the springs.

Figure 3 is a view of the same portion with the lowermost touch piece depressed and the key open.

Figure 4 is a view of the same portion'with the lower two touch pieces simultaneously depressed so as to open two holes.

Figure 5 is a cross section at 55, Figure 2,

7 much of the background being omitted for clearness.

Figure 6 is a cross section at 6-6, Figure 7, showing in cross section the single spring which actuates two keys.

Figure 7 is a view at 7-7, Figure 10, of the depressed, a portion of thekey in the foreground being broken away, as in Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a View in the same direction as Figures 7 and 8, with a portion of the key in the foreground broken away. as in those figures and the lower two touchpieces depressed, as in Figure 4. V

Figure 10 is a View looking at the outer edges of the four keys in the direction of the arrow shownin Figure 6.

The clarinet of the particular'type with which this invention is concerned includes a body-l'formed with tone holes and particu larly the tone holes 2, 3, 4.- and 5 controlled by the keys 6, 7, 8 and 9 respectively, with which the present invention is more especially concerned. As ordinarily considered, the pitch of'the tones of the instrument, when governed by the respective keys referred to are as follows a The tone produced by the control operation of the key 6 is B so that the-key 6 may be indicated as the B key; the tone controlled by the operation of the key 7 is B so that the key 7 is known as the B-flat key. Correspondingly, key 8 is the F-sharp key and key 9 is 7 either the E-flat or B-flat key. In the conthe tone holes controlled by these keys and the relative dispositions of the touch pieces to maintain the standardized lay are the only real important considerations. A reversal of the location'of keys 6 and 7 is a matter of indifi'erence so long as the standardized repieces is maintained.

The body 1 is. provided with outwardly projecting pillars 1O andilli providing a supi quirements as to the tone holes and touch V port for a rod 12 on which the keys 6 and 7 are mounted for pivotal or swinging movement, the keys being arranged upon the rod in parallel relation longitudinally of the body. Similar pillars 13 and 14L extend ourwardly from the body 1, supporting the rod 15 on which the key 8 is pivotally mounted. Further similar pillars 16 and 17 extend outwardly from the body 1 carrying the rod 18 upon which the key 9 is pivotally supported.

An important detail of the present invention is the relative disposition of the keys 8 and 9. It is, of course, apparent that, as above stated, the keys 8 and 9 are independently pivoted with respect to the clarinet body but in order to maintain the standardized lay of the special type of clarinets referred to ierein, and bearing in mind the further consideration that it is never necessary to operate the key 8 alone, I have formed the key 8 so that it will directly overlie the key 9. lhus the key 8 from its pivotal support on the rod 15 reduced in vertical. dimension so that it may be projected longitudinally of the clarinet body in a position above and in the same vertical plane as that of the key 9. This relative disposition is illustrated generaly in Figures 2, 3 and 4 and more particularly in Figure 5.

The respective keys 6, 'T, 8 and 9 are provided with touch pieces 21 2Q, and ill relllOllS of M h 7 spcctively, the relative dispos are in accordance with standardized requi -.J- mcnts, the touch piece 223 of he key 8, hov'- ever, being; in the same longitudaal plane as y 9. It is thus the touch piece of the k,

llll}i)OSSll)lG l() operate the key S singly, both by reason of the relation of the touch pieces o and El and by the fact that key S overlies y 9 in the same ertical plane as the latter. cours either key 6 or may be sine'ly operated or in this of clarinet they ray b operated simultaneously by the linger onaging both touch pieces 21 and 532. The operzwlon of key 6 is ind ted in Figure while the operation of key 9 simultaneeusly with the operation of key 8 is shown in Figures 4t and 9.

The relation of the adjacent edges 01' the keys 8 and 9, that is, the upper edge of key and the lower edge of key 8, is such that when these keys are simultaneously actuated, these relatively adjacent edges are maintained in parallel relation. If desired, and for insuring silent operation, a strip of cork or like resilient material, indicated at 25, may be secured. to that portion of the lower edge of the key 8 which overl'es key 9, thereby providing a sound-absorbing element between the keys, which clement directly ongages the upper edge of key 9 in the operation or" the key 8.

The key 7 is influenced toward normal po sition by the usual fiat spring (not shown), while key 9 is normally influenced toward closed position by a flat spring 19 secured to the lower edge of the key and cooperating with a spring stop 20 on the body. Keys (3 and 8, however, are influenced toward closed positions by a single spring. This spring, indicated at 26, is secured to the lower edge of key 6 and bears at its free end on a stud. 27 which projects laterally from key 8. The stud, if desired, may have terminal enlarge monts, indicated at 28 and 29 in Figure (3, to prevent lateral freedom of the spring. Thus a single spring serves to control both keys (5 and 8 when free of their manual influence, tnus providing for the proper spring control of the key 8 and materially simplifying the arrangement and construction.

The key 8 may he formed with an arch construction to permit it to pass over the mounting of the key (S, as indicated at 30 in Figure 1, keys 7 and 8 being similarly arched at 31 to per it their overlying other parts without ii ference.

lhe iu'iproved con ruction provii so moimti the pa 'ticular ii a. l elm ype clarinet of in a manner to permit the s tion or lay of the touch pi keys.

15 claim 1. A clarinet or like instrument having a y grouping including a plurality of keys. a pivotal support for each 0''? the keys, and snriigs for influencing the keys toward. norl 'noperativc positions, one of said springs least two of the i for ht side keys on 'ial small size ndardized posi ces and of the ALLEN LOOMIS. 

